Use the Energies of 2017 to Jumpstart Your Writing Career

By Fae Rowen

There are a lot of exciting possibilities for everyone this year, all relating to the changing energies around us. You don’t have to believe in anything “new age” to admit that the first month of 2017 flew by like a rocket. And that’s just the start. I wanted to pull forward some of the ancient lore for a fun look at the potentials for 2017.

First off, Happy Fire Rooster Year!

The Chinese Year of the Rooster just started, so we’ll begin with “rooster characteristics” that can enhance your year:

Honesty: Pay particular attention to what you say and how you say it. Try not to “fudge factor” information by sweetening it to fit the communication. If your manuscript isn’t finished, don’t tell an agent or editor it is.

Energetic: Plenty of energy is available to you this year, but you’ve got to be smart about how you use it. Take care of the physical needs of your body, like sleep, water, and exercise, even if you’re on deadline. Your writing is going to reflect your personal energy. (My non-writer friends know when I’m writing battle sequences. I’m more reactive to getting cut off in traffic, conversations are “terse”-their word, not mine, and I walk faster even though I’m scouting out my surroundings for ambush possibilities. Yes, I actually mentioned that on a trail last month.)

Intelligence: Writing a book requires intelligence. So if you’ve been holding back, or you haven’t finished something you started last year, this is the year to finish it. You’ve got what it takes. Need to fill in plot holes? Put your brain to work. Have to revise an ending? Brainstorm possibilities. Then brainstorm more.

Flamboyance: Okay, this one isn’t my strong suit. I typically try to fly under the radar. But, I’m upping my game in this category because if there’s a time to dip my toe in the water, this is it. I’m committing to being a little flashy (don’t laugh, this is huge for me…maybe I’ll even buy an article of red clothing!), putting myself “out there” in ways I’m definitely not comfortable with (yes, more social media pics). But I’m going to have fun with it. Who knows? Being a little brighter, noisier version of myself could be fun. And I can always blame it on the Rooster.

Flexible: My first book is scheduled to release June 8, 2017. If something happens to the production schedule, I’m going to be flexible without going crazy. (Yes, I know. I can say this now, on February 1.) If I need to change appointments to take advantage of opportunities, I’m going to be flexible enough to do that, too. Flexibility is key to successful revisions, when you’re considering changing from the original vision of your story. Flexibility to the demands of a writer’s life can help you maintain your sanity.

Confident: Embark on this year with confidence that you can attain your dream. Set and work toward reasonable goals. Each time you’ve achieved success, you will be more confident for the next step on your career path.

We all know what a real, living rooster does, especially if you live near one. You’re called to rise and shine and get to work early. Ever watch a rooster strut? Let’s make this a year that helps us all to “strut our stuff.”

You know I’m a mathematician, right? Well, numbers have their own energies. Just ask anyone if they have a lucky or favorite number. Everybody has one. The cool thing is, my lucky number doesn’t have to be the same as yours to be lucky for me.

Pythagorus, a Greek mathematician and philosopher, led a secret society devoted to the study of how numbers
influence our lives. Stay with me. I’m not saying that numbers can be used to predict the future, but if you’ve ever read your horoscope, or if you can answer the question, “What sign are you?” what about the possibility of asking, “What number are you?” Same difference, right?

Along that line, 2017 is considered a “one” year in a nine-year cycle. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we must have just finished a “nine” year, which closed that cycle. Completing unfinished business made last year a difficult one for all of us. But now we have the excitement and potential of this “one” year to begin new endeavors, to try new things. We have a license to experiment, be it with a new genre, a different kind of POV, or just finishing the dang book and seeing what happens. If you haven’t entered a contest, maybe it’s time. If you haven’t sent out query letters or pitched your story, now is the time.

Did I think about any of this number/Rooster Year stuff when I decided to self-publish my books in June last year? Nope. I think last year’s energy helped push me in the direction to finish a big loop in my writing path, leading me to this year’s opportunity. Actually, I thought my first book would be ready to release last November, five months after I made my decision to indie publish. I guess flexibility started early for me.

Here are some additional words and a phrase to notice in your life this year: Adventures. Ingenuity. Curiosity. Joy. Synchronicity. Patience. Resourcefulness. Help each other. Opportunities.

We all have magic inside of us. That’s why we’re writers. Bring forth your magic this year. Be amazing.

How does 2017 look to be shaping up for you? Did January leave you in its dust?

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ABOUT FAE

Fae Rowen discovered the romance genre after years as a science fiction freak. Writing futuristics and medieval paranormals, she jokes that she can live anywhere but the present. As a mathematician, she knows life’s a lot more fun when you get to define your world and its rules.

Punished, oh-no, that’s published as a co-author of a math textbook, she yearns to hear personal stories about finding love from those who read her books, rather than the horrors of calculus lessons gone wrong. She is grateful for good friends who remind her to do the practical things in life like grocery shop, show up at the airport for a flight and pay bills.

A “hard” scientist who avoided writing classes like the plague, she now shares her brain with characters who demand that their stories be told. Amazing, gifted critique partners keep her on the straight and narrow. Feedback from readers keeps her fingers on the keyboard.

Thanks for the upbeat post. While I don’t believe in astrology, numerology or “Rooster year stuff”, I can’t think of a good reason not to follow your advice on Honesty, Energy, Intelligence, etc. This is my year to get a book on the shelves.

Okay, this is confirmation for me, because, I just read about this year being full of energy and the number “1” for new beginnings. And to be honest it isn’t something I read or do so I happened to open your email tonight and I have many to choose from and this was your topic! I am going for it! Cocka doodle doooooo!!